Roseau – The first day of the highly anticipated Test series between India and the West Indies witnessed a dominating performance by the Indian team at Windsore Park. India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, and young opener, Yashasvi Jaiswal, laid a solid foundation, putting their team in a commanding position.
At the close of play on Wednesday, India had amassed a score of 80/0, with both Sharma and Jaiswal remaining unbeaten at the crease. Sharma played a patient knock, accumulating 30 runs from 65 deliveries, while Jaiswal displayed his promising talent with a fluent inning of 40 runs from 73 balls.
Despite a couple of close LBW appeals against Sharma early on, India’s opening stand remained untroubled in the third session. Jaiswal took some time to settle in but quickly adapted to the pitch conditions, confidently taking on the West Indies bowlers.
Jaiswal announced his presence with a beautifully executed shot that found the boundary for a four. He attempted another boundary, but a sharp fielder denied him back-to-back fours. Meanwhile, Sharma exhibited confidence in his shot selection and adopted a defensive approach during the majority of the third session.
The West Indies bowlers struggled to find consistency in their line and length, which was evident when their review for an LBW appeal against Sharma was turned down by the umpire’s call. Both Sharma and Jaiswal will be eager to convert their promising starts into big scores on the second day of the match.
In a heartwarming revelation, Jaiswal, whose photo of him respectfully greeting the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman, MS Dhoni, went viral, expressed his awe and admiration for the former Indian captain. Jaiswal shared that he was left speechless and experienced goosebumps when he first met ‘Thala’ during an IPL match. He considers it a blessing to spend time with Dhoni and wishes to learn from him and gain valuable knowledge.
Meanwhile, India’s ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 campaign began with a two-Test series against the West Indies, with the first Test taking place in Dominica.
Earlier in the game, Alick Athanaze of the West Indies showcased resilience against the Indian bowlers. He initially focused on a solid defensive technique but later launched a counterattack. Shardul Thakur started the second session with a maiden over, but Athanaze signalled his intent with a classic cover drive off Ravindra Jadeja’s delivery.
On the other hand, Joshua Da Silva struggled against the spin attack and eventually fell victim to Jadeja’s guile. Athanaze, however, continued to accumulate boundaries, reminiscent of former West Indies skipper Brian Lara. His impressive stroke play included a flick shot off Jadeja’s bowling, showcasing his talent.
The partnership between Athanaze and Jason Holder added 41 crucial runs for the hosts. However, it was Mohammed Siraj who broke the stand by dismissing Holder, who offered a simple catch to Shardul Thakur. Alzarri Joseph joined Athanaze but failed to capitalise, succumbing to Ravichandran Ashwin’s carom ball and giving Jaydev Unadkat an easy catch.
Just before the end of the second session, Ashwin dealt a significant blow to the West Indies by dismissing the dangerous Athanaze for 47 runs. Kemar Roach and Rahkeem Cornwall managed to hold their ground, preventing further damage and ensuring that the hosts didn’t collapse.
In the first session, the West Indies won the toss and chose to bat, but they struggled early on, losing an early wicket to R. Ashwin. Ashwin quickly followed up with another dismissal, removing West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite. Shardul Thakur also contributed to the bowling effort by claiming the wicket of Raymon Reifer.
India ended the first session on a high note by dismissing Jermaine Blackwood with a brilliant catch by Mohammed Siraj off Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling.
At the end of the day’s play, the West Indies were bowled out for 150 runs, with Ashwin shining with impressive figures of 5-60. India’s opening batsmen provided a solid start, leaving them with a promising platform for the second day of the match.
Brief Score:
West Indies 150 (Alick Athanaze 47, Kraigg Brathwaite 20; Ravichandran Ashwin 5-60)
India 80/0 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 40*, Rohit Sharma 30*)
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